Panthers following NFL’s lead on Greg Hardy punishment

Posted by Darin Gantt on July 24, 2014, 12:37 PM EDT

Getty Images

It’s a banner day for women everywhere around the NFL.

After Ray Rice’s two-game suspension for knocking his wife unconscious (Hey, she apologized), it now appears the league’s other star abuser of women is going to continue to make his full $13 million this year.

According to Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review, Panthers General Manager Dave Gettleman indicated the team was not going to suspend defensive end Greg Hardy, who was convicted last week on charges of assaulting his girlfriend and communicating threats.

Hardy has appealed his conviction, and will get a jury trial next. But that’s unlikely to happen before January, which means the Panthers will likely have Hardy available this season.

The franchise-tagged defensive end will make $13.1 million this season, or just over $770,000 per week.

They could conceivably suspend him up to four games for conduct detrimental to the team, but teams always prefer to leave such cases to the NFL. And as today’s ruling in the Rice case shows, that punishment will come later, if it’s felt at all.

Considering they’ve made no effort to reach a long-term contract with Hardy, who could be an unrestricted free agent again next year, they might never have to feel it, either.

The Hardy case and Rice case don’t compare at all. Rice knocked her into next week. Hardy called the cops to report the crazy women, and its his word vs. hers. Lastly I don’t condone any domestic violence!

As distasteful as it may seem, Hardy is innocent until proven guilty. Even though he was convicted at trial, he’s appealed his case which means he’s considered innocent until all appeals have been exhausted. The Panthers should suspend Hardy until the court proceedings have been completed. Then and only then should they drop a “Big Hammer” on him AND only do that after he gets out of prison.

The important thing to Goodell I am betting is that if Greg Hardy supports a team in London. It doesn’t matter he’s (fact is, Hardy is) a convict.

And no, this is not the same as the Ray Rice despicable act, as Hardy is convicted–charges weren’t dropped. Hardy should be suspended as any convict is. Timeframe: 8 weeks minimal, with evaluation of where the appeal is after 6 weeks.

Sgl42….he is innocent until proven guilty and has been proven guilty. The appeals process is after the conviction. He is no longer innocent per the law. That is a FACT. The Panthers are pulling a fast one here, and I doubt it will work.

Again, all you chivalrous gentlemen who love to chime in so you can proclaim how you defend women…can you please provide one shred of real evidence that Hardy is guilty?
All we have is so far is accusations from a known gold-digging cocaine abuser. No photographic or bodily harm evidence, no physical indicators. The most telling piece of the story so far is the 911 call made by Hardy himself. If a jury finds him guilty, roast him, but until then this is a witch hunt. If Hardy beat anyone, especially a petite woman, I’m pretty positive there would be a gruesome crime scene and indisputable evidence.
Ray Rice was caught by video evidence, physical evidence, and admitted to his crime. MUCH different at this point.

Nice. Take a stimulant and you get four games first offense. Get convicted for beating the ever-loving stuffing out of a woman and get nothing. Then try to say something stupid like the appeals process is in works. If he plays, the Redskins can change their name to “Panthers” because the name is now open. The Carolina Convicts has a nice ring, wouldn’t you say?

Ncarolinauze, uh, he was CONVICTED. The question of his guilt is not a question. It is a determined fact of law. And to Gettleman, grow a pair and do the right thing – you have a convicted female abuser on your team (my team as a Panthers fan) – do something about it.